Brothers Who Shared Blood

"How dare you show up here again, you brat!"

He was the sentry I met when I wandered from army to army before building up my career.

The last time he tried to push me, I rolled under his legs and broke his ankle with both arms.

And now, I met him again today.

I wondered if I should apologize first, since he might become my senior in the future.

But I doubted anything would change just because I apologized after breaking his ankle during our first encounter.

Wasn't he the one who picked the fight and tried to shove me back then?

"If you block my path again today, I'll break your other ankle too."

I tried to express my delight at seeing him again in my own way.

And my way of expressing that joy worked.

Flinch.

He timidly stepped back.

Seeing that his still-intact left foot moved back first, it seemed he didn't want both ankles broken.

"Apologizing isn't something shameful or bad, Evan."

That's what Baroness Flory Brooks taught me.

But I've seen many situations where the one to apologize first is looked down upon.

And Austin Brooks, the Baron, taught me something completely different from the Baroness.

"Sometimes, even if you've done wrong, you must not lower your head. The moment you bow, your relationship with the other will be set that way."

Humans are truly complicated.

They say apologizing isn't bad.

Yet if you apologize first, people often treat you like a criminal and mistreat you.

So here's my conclusion:
You only apologize when you've confirmed the other person can't mistreat you.

Any other case, and you're likely to end up creating a humiliating situation for yourself.

Now that I've confirmed this sentry can't mistreat me,
It's the right timing to apologize.

Anyway, I planned to join this army.

"Sorry about that time. I was startled because you tried to push me first."

I mixed in a little lie.

It wasn't because I was startled.

First came my unique show of greeting, and then a casual apology.

Of course, to his ears, it might have sounded like an appeasement after a threat.

Still.

If he comes at me again, I'll break the other ankle too.

"What is this, Simon? You know this little brat?"

* * *

Simon faced a difficult situation.

He already reported that his broken ankle was from a misstep.

He couldn't exactly report that he tried to throw out a kid who came to enlist and got caught in a joint lock.

He'd already bought his partner in the 2-man sentry team beer and had him keep his mouth shut.

"Oh? Ah, no. We just ran into each other for a bit when I was out."

"So what were you saying about being startled when he tried to push you?"

"Oh? Ah, haha. The kid shrieked so loud, I spilled my beer. Isn't that right, kid?"

Please.

Please just go with it.

You're not here to enlist again, are you?

If you are, please play along.

"Yes, that's right. Sorry about before."

He said he'd break what's left of my ankle,
but now, he's become a polite kid.

Thankfully, he knows how to read the room!

"But didn't that kid just say something about what he'll do to your remaining ankle?"

Damn you, Sam...

Always with the sharp ears.

"What are you talking about? You must've misheard. Hey, Sam, Peter, aren't you going to change shifts? The shift's already over."

"Oh! Right, shift change. Time to eat. Isn't there meat soup tonight?"

"Yeah, it's delicious. Go eat before the meat runs out and only the broth's left."

"Let's go, Peter!"

"Meat soup!"

After the sentry change, Sam looked back at the kid as he headed inside.

"Hey! Kid. I'll pass your resume to the personnel officer. Come back in a few days."

"Yes, thank you."

The little devil, who had twisted an ankle in the blink of an eye before, now looked at Sam with the innocent face of a child.

Once Sam and Peter were completely gone—

"Kid. Are you seriously going to join our squad?"

Cold, sunken eyes.

The kid nodded silently.

The innocent look he'd shown Sam and Peter was gone—where did it go?

"Please... just don't join our squad."

"I'm afraid that's not something I can choose."

* * *

"Evan."

"Yeah?"

"That sentry whose ankle you broke back then. His name was Simon, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Why are you only stern with him, when you're polite to the other sentries? Even your tone is different."

Oh... Bastian.

So you're starting to notice stuff like that?

"The army is big and wide."

"Yeah."

"You have to work well with others in the army. Otherwise, even if you have skills, you won't be recognized. If you're not recognized, you won't get chances to show your skills."

"Ah! So it's like in the bandits' group? You need to be on good terms with those above you."

"Exactly. That's the same anywhere in the human world."

"Then, all the sentries we met are basically seniors. But why'd you act only that way toward Simon?"

"Our relationship is already set."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Hmm... Bastian.

So you haven't caught on to this kind of thing yet.

"When I said I'd break his other ankle too. How did Simon react?"

"Ah! I saw it. He took a step back."

"Exactly. In that moment, the relationship between the two of us was set. Until he can overpower me with strength, Simon can't be my senior."

Bastian, after thinking for a moment under the night sky, nodded.

"I think I get it. In the bandits' group, we called that—"

"Called it what?"

"Getting played for a sucker."

Seems like a pretty accurate expression.

* * *

Brown Hawk Mercenary Guild garrison.

Bam!

Bald Calvin slammed the table and stood up.

"We'll go too!"

Mad Dog Pablo also sprang up.

"Take us with you, big brother! After all this, are you going to abandon us?"

"Who's abandoning you? You guys are my precious, first group."

It's true.

"Then are you seriously going to leave us here and go with Bastian?"

"You have your path, and we have ours."

Bradley, who had been sitting quietly, stood up.

"We'll walk that path with you."

Even you, Bradley...

"Think about your ages. If you join the army now, you'll start from the bottom. Are you fine with that? Just stay here, make one of you the guildmaster and another the vice-guildmaster, and live comfortably. If you do as I told you, the guild will get a lot bigger soon."

Mad Dog Pablo crossed his beefy arms and dropped into his chair.

"Doesn't matter! All we need is you, big brother!"

"Who cares! We'll just smash through everyone with our strength and get promoted or whatever!"

Hey, you country bumpkin mercs.

The army isn't that easy.

"No. Staying here and thriving fits you better. It's better for your lives too. Besides, Calvin, Pablo—you guys were happy when I said I'd leave after the war, weren't you?"

"Big Brother! Don't say that!"

"That was then, this is now! We're following you!"

For myself and Bastian.

And for these guys.

We're better off parting ways here.

A caterpillar has to eat pine needles.

"Why would you go so far to follow me, just because we fought a small war together?"

Especially Bradley—who always carried himself with confidence—I didn't expect this from him.

"Aren't we brothers who shared blood?"

Share blood? When?

"That's right! Live as one! Die as one!"

Living and dying are each person's business.

"Haaa, you guys just don't get it."

I had to find a way to shake these guys off.

Not only would they be a hindrance to me and Bastian, they also didn't fit with army life.

There's no reason for all of us to take the wrong path.

Let me see...

Seventh among my twelve companions.

The assassin, Floyd.

I remembered the day he left his organization behind to walk the path of The World's Greatest.

"You guys are still my precious comrades."

"Take us with you, too!"

"You have to protect our assassin guild alliance."

"The alliance means nothing without Floyd!"

"I have my own business."

"The World's Greatest! What is that? Our assassin guild alliance is now a force no one on the continent dares touch! What more is needed? After living all my life in the shadows, now I finally bask in the sunlight. Weren't you the reason the guild could be like this, Floyd!"

"Haaa..."

After pondering for a while, Floyd spoke.

"Someday, if I ever need you all. Could you help me then?"

"What are you saying? For your command, Floyd, we'd go to the ends of hell...!"

"See, so wait for me, take care of the guild alliance I worked so hard to build for a possible day when I need you. When I face an impossible crisis alone, I will come for you."

"Floyd...!"

And so, Floyd left the continental assassin guild alliance he created to walk the path of The World's Greatest.

He lived his life as an assassin, but in his chest burned a fierce passion for martial prowess.

Maybe I should use this line for my guys here...

That's okay, right? Floyd.

"Guys."

"Yes, big brother!"

"Yes, guildmaster!"

"Someday, if I ever need you—could you help me then?"

Mad Dog Pablo, arms crossed and lips pouting in a sulk, suddenly beat his chest and shot up.

Veins bulged in his furious muscles.

"What are you saying, big brother! For your command, Mad Dog Pablo will go to the end of hell...!"

Huh? That worked?

Let's try a bit more.

"I'll come looking for you anytime. To help me then, you need to grow the Brown Hawk mercenary guild even bigger. Make it a guild with so much strength that no one can challenge you. Can you do that?"

Tears rolled down bald Calvin's cheeks.

Uh...

I didn't think they'd be this moved.

"We'll do it! But! The Brown Hawk guildmaster will always be you, big brother Evan!"

Mad Dog Pablo slung a thick arm over Calvin's shoulder.

"Agreed! Let's do it! The day you call on us again, Brown Hawk will be the greatest mercenary guild on the continent, right Calvin?"

"Of course!"

Bradley stepped up beside Calvin and Pablo.

"As Calvin said, our guildmaster is always Big Brother Evan. From today, Brown Hawk will be run by three vice-guildmasters. Until you return, we'll do our best to grow the guild!"

Mad Dog Pablo turned to Bradley.

"What? Bradley. Three vice-guildmasters? Who decided that?"

"Shut up and listen. Big Brother Evan would say so."

Pablo looked to me, with an expression of "That's not right, is it, big brother?"

"Sure, sounds good. Operate the guild with three people. Compete and keep each other in check. Bradley will balance things out."

While Bradley just shrugged his shoulders,
Mad Dog Pablo confidently nodded.

He's really a guy whose character I like.

"If Big Brother Evan says it, that's the way. We three will make Brown Hawk the continent's best mercenary guild! Visit us anytime, guildmaster Big Brother."

I borrowed Floyd's line just to distance them from me,

but for some reason, I can't shake the strong feeling we'll see each other again.